"Instead of boasting about surgical strikes must teach a lesson to Pakistan Army and militants and end this infiltration," Antony said.

“Instead of boasting about surgical strikes must teach a lesson to Pakistan Army and militants and end this infiltration,” Antony said. (PTI)

Nagrota Attack: Accusing the Narendra Modi government of not learning any lessons after Pathankot and Uri attacks, former Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday asked the ruling dispensation at the centre to stop boasting about surgical strikes and teach a lesson to Pakistan to stop infiltration. “Instead of boasting about surgical strikes must teach a lesson to Pakistan Army and militants and end this infiltration,” Antony said. He opined that “the government has not learned any lessons after Pathankot and Uri.” Seven army personnel, including two officers, were killed in the deadliest attack in Nagrota in Jammu and Kashmir since Uri before three terrorists were killed in an armed stand-off which also involved a hostage-like situation with 12 soldiers, two ladies and two children being held captive. Earlier, Antony had blamed “security lapse” for the Uri terror attack. “It is a serious security lapse. The central government has not learnt any lesson from the Pathankot attack,” the Congress leader had said on the attack on army camp in Uri and suggested that army should be given more freedom to carry out tactical operations.

In January this year, seven military personnel were killed when six terrorists who had sneaked in from Pakistan attacked the Pathankot air base. “In recent months violence in Kashmir with the help of Pakistani army is increasing,” Antony said. Efforts should be made to increase the confidence of people of Kashmir in the army, he had said.

Placement of mine-protecting vehicles and bullet-proof vehicles round the clock at sensitive locations are among the measures taken to prevent attacks. In Srinagar, the Army has increased surveillance around the highly fortified 15 Corps headquarters with many fresh bunkers. The number of militants has gone up in the last five months, officials estimate. The number of militants was estimated to be 145 before the unrest, including 54 foreigners, an Indian Express report said.

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Shantanu Nair

Nov 30, 2016 at 9:49 am

Big words from a man who did nothing during his tenure as Defense Minister. Neither he knows English or Hindi. I always wondered who appointed him DM of India. Being a Malayalee myself, I can tell you that his only positive quality as a politician was that he was never corrupt.